Trump’s verdict on Emmanuel Macron election win: ‘tremendous’

U.S President Donald Trump congratulated newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron for his “tremendous victory” and “incredible campaign” as they met for the first time over lunch in Brussels on Thursday.

Speaking alongside Macron at the U.S. embassy, Trump said: “It is my great honor to be with the newly elected president of France, who ran an incredible campaign and had a tremendous victory. All over the world, they’re talking about it. And we have a lot to discuss, including terrorism and other things. Congratulations. Great job.”

Somewhat less jocular, Macron briefly thanked Trump and switched to the agenda of the day, telling reporters that the NATO summit later in the day would “allow us to have a first meeting” and that he was “very happy to be able to change a lot of things together.”

Macron later wrote on Twitter that his first encounter with Trump had been "constructive and direct."

A statement released by the White House after the meeting said the discussion had focussed on security and counterterrorism issues: "The two leaders committed to maintaining and building on the already strong alliance between the United States and France as they cooperate on these and other vital issues."

Trump thanked Macron for France's leadership in counterterrorism efforts in Africa, according to the statement. But it also said, "President Trump urged President Macron to meet the NATO defense spending pledge and ensure that NATO is focused on counterterrorism."

Before Macron's French election victory earlier this month, Trump had praised the far-right, Euroskeptic candidate Marine Le Pen as “the strongest [candidate] on what’s been going on in France,” though he stopped short of endorsing her.

The meeting with Trump was Macron's biggest diplomatic test since he was elected president on May 8th.

French diplomatic sources said Macron would press Trump on whether Washington will remain in the Paris climate deal, and urge him to respect multilateral procedures in trade negotiations instead of dealing individually with different EU states.

French diplomats preparing for a G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily on Friday and Saturday are irritated at the White House's failure to specify clear positions for leaders ahead of the talks, as is the custom.